# US 2014/0194129 A1 · Staggered Cells For Wireless Coverage > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0194129 A1 - Document ID: US20140194129A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/734,030 - Filed: 2013-01-04 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-04 - Assignees: The Boeing Company - Inventors: Ying J. Feria; Greg Busche; Murat E. Veysoglu; John M. Sullivan; Lori Shima; Becky Xiao-Chun Li - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140194129A1 ## CPC - H04B 7/2041: {Spot beam multiple access} - H04B 7/1851: {Systems using a satellite or space-based relay (H04B7/18508, H04B7/18521 take precedence; providing specific services H04B7/18523 - H04B7/18576)} - H04W 16/02: Resource partitioning among network components, e.g. reuse partitioning - H04B: TRANSMISSION - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract A relay and distribution apparatus is provided for a cellular communication system. The relay and distribution apparatus includes an antenna system configured to lay down beams in overlapping first and M second N-cell frequency reuse patterns. The first frequency reuse pattern may be for communication of control channels of a cellular communication system, and the second frequency reuse patterns may be for communication of traffic channels exclusive of control channels of the cellular communication system. The second frequency reuse patterns may be staggered with one another. And cells of the second frequency reuse patterns may have a size only a fraction of which is for transmission of traffic channels any of which may be assignable through a control channel of the first reuse frequency pattern. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A relay and distribution apparatus comprising: a communication platform; and an antenna system carried by the communication platform and including at least one array of antenna feeds, the antenna system being configured to lay down beams covering respective cells of a cellular communication system, wherein the antenna system is configured to lay down beams in overlapping P-cell and Q-cell frequency reuse patterns, the P-cell frequency reuse pattern being for communication of control channels of the cellular communication system, and the Q-cell frequency reuse pattern being for communication of traffic channels exclusive of control channels of the cellular communication system, wherein any traffic channel of the Q-cell frequency reuse pattern is assignable through a control channel of the P-cell frequency reuse pattern. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The relay and distribution apparatus of claim 1, wherein Q is greater than P, and cells of the Q-cell frequency reuse pattern are smaller in size than those of the P-cell frequency reuse pattern. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The relay and distribution apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least some of the cells of the Q-cell frequency reuse pattern overlap one cell of the P-cell frequency reuse pattern, and other cells of the Q-cell frequency reuse pattern overlap more than one cell of the P-cell frequency reuse pattern. ### Claim 4 A relay and distribution apparatus comprising: a communication platform; and an antenna system carried by the communication platform and including at least one array of antenna feeds, the antenna system being configured to lay down beams covering respective cells of a cellular communication system, wherein the antenna system is configured to lay down beams in overlapping first and M≧2 second N-cell frequency reuse patterns, the first N-cell frequency reuse pattern being for communication of control channels of the cellular communication system, and the M second N-cell frequency reuse patterns being for communication of traffic channels exclusive of control channels of the cellular communication system, and wherein the M second N-cell frequency reuse patterns are staggered with one another, and cells of the M second N-cell frequency reuse patterns have a size only a fraction of which is for transmission of traffic channels any of which is assignable through a control channel of the first N-cell frequency reuse pattern. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The relay and distribution apparatus of claim 4, wherein the fraction of each cell of the M second N-cell frequency reuse patterns overlaps one, two or three cells of the first N-cell frequency reuse pattern. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The relay and distribution apparatus of claim 5, wherein when M is an even number, the fraction of each cell of the M second N-cell frequency reuse patterns overlaps one or two cells of the first N-cell frequency reuse pattern, and when M is an odd number, the fraction of each cell of the M second N-cell frequency reuse patterns overlaps one or three cells of the first N-cell frequency reuse pattern. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The relay and distribution apparatus of claim 4, wherein cells of the M second N-cell frequency reuse patterns have a size only 1/M of which is for transmission of traffic channels. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The relay and distribution apparatus of claim 4, wherein the M second N-cell frequency reuse patterns are staggered such that the fractions of the cells for transmission of traffic channels form an effective M×N-cell frequency reuse pattern. ### Claim 9 A method comprising: laying down beams of an antenna system covering respective cells of a cellular communication system, the beams being laid down in overlapping P-cell and Q-cell frequency reuse patterns, the P-cell frequency reuse pattern being for communication of control channels of the cellular communication system, and the Q-cell frequency reuse pattern being for communication of traffic channels exclusive of control channels of the cellular communication system, wherein any traffic channel of the Q-cell frequency reuse pattern is assignable through a control channel of the P-cell frequency reuse pattern. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein Q is greater than P, and cells of the Q-cell frequency reuse pattern are smaller in size than those of the P-cell frequency reuse pattern. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein at least some of the cells of the Q-cell frequency reuse pattern overlap one cell of the P-cell frequency reuse pattern, and other cells of the Q-cell frequency reuse pattern overlap more than one cell of the P-cell frequency reuse pattern. ### Claim 12 A method comprising: laying down beams of an antenna system covering respective cells of a cellular communication system, the beams being laid down in overlapping first and M≧2 second N-cell frequency reuse patterns, the first N-cell frequency reuse pattern being for communication of control channels of the cellular communication system, and the M second N-cell frequency reuse patterns being for communication of traffic channels exclusive of control channels of the cellular communication system, wherein the M second N-cell frequency reuse patterns are staggered with one another, and cells of the M second N-cell frequency reuse patterns have a size only a fraction of which is for transmission of traffic channels any of which is assignable through a control channel of the first N-cell frequency reuse pattern. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the fraction of each cell of the M second N-cell frequency reuse patterns overlaps one, two or three cells of the first N-cell frequency reuse pattern. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein when M is an even number, the fraction of each cell of the M second N-cell frequency reuse patterns overlaps one or two of cells of the first N-cell frequency reuse pattern, and when M is an odd number, the fraction of each cell of the M second N-cell frequency reuse patterns overlaps one or three cells of the first N-cell frequency reuse pattern. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein cells of the M second N-cell frequency reuse patterns have a size only 1/M of which is for transmission of traffic channels. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the M second N-cell frequency reuse patterns are staggered such that the fractions of the cells for transmission of traffic channels form an effective M×N-cell frequency reuse pattern.